Irony of Fake Ploeg's death
It's an ironic twist when Anton discovers how Fake Ploeg died, that is who was the one who killed him. Takes reveals to him that it was Truu Coster, the woman Anton is certain was with him in the dark cell and comforted him when he was only a scared twelve-year-old boy. After so many years Anton finally sees the weapon that set the entire dreadful thing in motion, it seems like a relic from a completely different life.
If Peter had his way...
Many years have passed and Anton decides to visit the street in Haarlem which was once his home. He is invited in by his old neighbors Beumers. Once inside and after conversing with Mrs. Beumers Anton can't help but think how things could have gone completely differently if only Peter succeeded in his plan of removing the body on that fateful night. His home would still be there and the Beumer's home would be now covered in rubble and overgrowth.
The end
At the end after discovering the entire truth of his past Anton realizes how senseless it all was. He realizes how every step; every move taken had a reasonable motive. One could argue about the reasonability of Korteweg's instinct to protect his pet lizards, but who is to judge pet owner's affection for his pets, besides he didn't think that Anton's family would be punished to that extent, and after all, he couldn't continue to live with himself plagued by guilt by what happened.
